Photo By Joe Battle | Sgt. Maj. Kenny Adams, C-3 operations sergeant major, Multinational Corps-Iraq, Camp...... read more read more
Story by Sgt. Joe M. Battle
MNC-I PAO
Snow-topped mountains, with near-freezing temperatures, overlooking a vast, almost endless desert horizon is not exactly the first place most people have in mind to meet with family members they haven't seen for a few years.
For Sgt. Maj. Kenny Adams, operations sergeant major, Multinational Corps-Iraq, Camp Victory, that place was good enough.
Sgt. Maj. Adams traveled to Fort Suse, a detention facility in northern Iraq, Jan. 27 to spend a day with his son, Pfc. Andrew L. Adams, infantryman, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, and see what he does on a day-to-day basis.
"I hadn't seen my son in almost two years and I heard he was in Iraq," said Sgt. Maj. Adams, a Tampa, Fla. native. "The last time I saw him was about four weeks before he left for basic training.
"I wanted a chance to see him before he left the country," he said.
"I also wanted to meet his unit and see what he does everyday," he added.
The trip started with Sgt. Maj. Adams making a few phone calls to locate his son's unit.
"After I located his unit, I contacted our air support guys here on Camp Victory and they helped me out with trying to coordinate flights," he said.
"I really didn't think the resources were available to be able to visit him," Sgt. Maj. Adams said. "I was pretty excited once I found out that the trip was possible."
After arriving at Fort Suse, Sgt. Maj. Adams was greeted by his son with a hug and a short tour of the facility.
"I really never imagined I would see him here in Iraq," said Pfc. Adams, a 21-year-old Columbus, Ga. native. "Its weird, I mean to see him in this type of environment is really strange."
After a brief tour of the complex, Sgt. Maj. Adams was then briefed on his son's duties as an infantryman working at the detention facility.
"I am a member of the Immediate Response Force here," said Pfc. Adams. "As a member of the IRF, we react to any disturbance, such as a fight, that the regular guards need assistance with.
"So basically we are on stand-by until we get a call," he added. "Once the call comes in, we have two minutes to be fully ready to respond."
After the briefing, Pfc. Adams presented a Fort Suse coin to his father.
Sgt. Maj. Adams said he was a little jealous of his son, but very proud.
"When I joined the Army, I was assigned to the same unit my son is in now," he said.
"I have been in the Army as an infantryman for 28 years and just recently, I finally got my combat patch," said Sgt. Maj. Adams. "My son has been in the Army for a little over a year, has his combat patch, combat infantryman's badge and is now presenting me with a coin."
"It is kind of ironic," he added.
Pfc. Adams said his next meeting with his father is hopefully in a less hostile environment.
"I plan on meeting again with my dad during his rest and recuperation leave back in the states," said Pfc. Adams. "We are going to attend my sister's high school graduation together."
Pfc. Adams is scheduled to depart Fort Suse in February.
"I am really glad I made the trip," said Sgt. Maj. Adams. "Not only did I get to see my son, but it was great to meet his squad, platoon, first sergeant and get a tour of where he was living."
"Although I wasn't looking forward to all the flying, visiting with my son while deployed was cool," he added.
"Really cool!"
(Editor's Note: Sgt. Joe M. Battle is assigned to V Corps and is currently supporting the MNC-I Public Affairs office.)
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2006 12:54 |
| Story ID: | 5263 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 760 |
| Downloads: | 91 |
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